Written Answers Thursday 3 June 2010

Scottish Executive

Antisocial Behaviour

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Fergus Ewing: In March 2009, Councillor Harry McGuigan of COSLA and I published our shared vision for tackling antisocial behaviour in Scotland, Promoting Positive Outcomes.  This was developed in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and other national partners, and supported across this chamber when it was debated on 2 April 2009.

  I am delighted to say that a significant amount of work is going in to tackling antisocial behaviour in Scotland.

  We are continuing to meet our commitment of having 1,000 additional police officers on Scotland’s streets making our communities safer places to live and work. Additionally, we have committed investment of over £17 million since the Cashback for Communities scheme was announced in June 2007. In North Lanarkshire this amounts to 38 awards receiving a total of £285,488.

Apprenticeships

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance and support it provides to people who wish to work offshore.

Keith Brown: Since its introduction, OPITO (The Oil and Gas Academy) in partnership with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board has trained over 770 modern apprentices under the Upstream Technician Training Programme for work in oil and gas. OPITO have also formed a partnership with Forth Valley College to help deliver their Transformation Training Programme. This has been funded through the PACE initiative. Through the modern apprenticeship programme we will provide over 1,500 opportunities for young people to commence a Level 3 Engineering MA this year. This figure includes opportunities for those who wish to work offshore.

  Through the Oil & Gas Industry Advisory Group, we are working with the industry to address key areas of strategic priority including skills and industry promotion to enhance the industries’ competitive position and sustain oil and gas production in the future. The Forum for Renewable Energy Development for Scotland’s Offshore Wind Group is considering specific skill needs and is feeding into the Renewable Energy Skills Group with a view to skills interventions being developed. Skills Development Scotland is also supporting Energy & Utility Skills in their development of a Workforce Planning Model to cover offshore renewables.

Central Heating

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth parliamentary constituency has received a new central heating system under the Energy Assistance Package in each year since it was established.

Alex Neil: We do not collate information on the Energy Assistance Package by constituency. However, a breakdown by local authority will be included in the report Fuel Poverty Programme 2009-10: Energy Assistance Package , and I will write to you when a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 50961).

Civil Servants

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs it has relocated since May 2007 and how many of these were relocated to Perth and Kinross.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26109 on 19 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Climate Change

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to extend the Climate Challenge Fund.

John Swinney: Consideration of any extension of the Climate Challenge Fund will take place in the context of the Scottish spending review, later this year.

Diabetes

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of diabetes-related drugs prescribed in NHS Tayside has been in each of the last three years.

Shona Robison: Gross Ingredient Cost of drugs prescribed in NHS Tayside for the treatment of Diabetes, in each of calendar years 2007 to 2009 is shown in the following table.

  NHS Tayside: Gross Ingredient Cost for Drugs Prescribed to Treat Diabetes, 2007 to 2009

  

Calendar Year
Gross Ingredient Cost (£)


2007
4,203,516


2008
4,204,014


2009
4,474,227



  Source: Prescribing Information System, ISD Scotland. Ref: IR2010-01324.

Environment

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what encouragement it gives to local authorities and community organisations to protect natural environments.

Roseanna Cunningham: Local authorities and community organisations are encouraged to protect natural environments in a number of ways, including involvement in Local Biodiversity Action Partnerships and a range of practical and financial support measures available from Scottish Natural Heritage. Local authorities have a duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to further the conservation of biodiversity.

Environment

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reconsidered the interpretation of the Rural Priorities scheme guidance to permit anaerobic digestion plants to receive funding.

Richard Lochhead: The setting of priorities for the Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme is done at a regional level. In the north-east, this is the responsibility of the Grampian Regional Proposal Assessment Committee, or RPAC. The Grampian RPAC is currently in the process of considering its regional priorities. Specifically, in relation to anaerobic digesters, they will consider the future arrangements for the inclusion of such projects under diversification measures.

  The other ten RPACs are reviewing the funding of anaerobic digesters in their regions.

Environment

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect endangered plant and animal species as part of the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy is delivered through a wide range of actions that protect endangered plant and animal species, carried out by many partners. A good example of this partnership approach can be found in the new Edinburgh Local Biodiversity Action Plan, that was launched in March 2010 as part of a biodiversity weekend at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The local biodiversity partnership are planning a range of actions, including a project to protect and re-establish juniper in the Pentland Hills.

  In the International Year of Biodiversity we are seeking to renew people’s appreciation of nature, and to reinforce the message that biodiversity delivers many services vital to human health and prosperity.

Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of twinflower in Scotland’s native pinewoods.

Roseanna Cunningham: Twinflower was noted to be present in 77 sites in Scottish woodlands in 2008 in the progress report of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, based on partial survey information. Most of the sites are in native pinewoods. The species is recorded as declining. The Forestry Commission has been undertaking genetic tests to help understand the clonal structure of twinflower populations, as well as carrying out research studies on forest management and design techniques to determine what can be done to help stimulate vegetative propagation, spread and flowering of the species.

Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ecological basis and the design guidance are for the creation and management of moorland fringe on the national forest estate.

Roseanna Cunningham: An interface area between moorland and forestry, rather than a hard edge, provides a mosaic of habitats which can create a suitable home for a range of species, including black grouse in particular. Other species which can benefit from a lower density canopy edge habitat include some butterfly species and juniper. Forestry Commission Scotland’s design objectives for moorland fringe on the national forest estate are developed on a site by site basis, dependent on the species and habitats present, and the age of the forest. However, the general principles involved are outlined in the Forestry Commission’s suite of Forest Guidelines (currently under revision) which cover issues such as biodiversity and landscape design.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the money spent, and due to be spent, on the cancelled branch line element of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33171 on 22 April 2010, which sets out the costs incurred up until financial year end on 31 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions can be found on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  A breakdown of the money already spent, and forecast to be spent, on the Glasgow Airport Rail Link branch line is set out in the following table:

  

Work stream
Jan 2007 – Sept 2009 (Cancellation P6 FY 09/10)1
Oct 2009 – May 2010 (P7 FY 09/10 – End P1 FY 10/11) 2
Total Cost to Date3,4
Remaining costto close out GARL
Total


£m
£m
£m
£m
£m


Branchline Works – post Sept 2009 all costs incurred relate to the close out of the GARL project
18.84
1. Land and associated costs 2. Legal/ agreements adviser costs 3. Consultant costs 4. 3rd party final account
0.400.600.402.48
22.72
1. Land and associated costs 2. Legal/ agreement advisers 
2.650.10
25.47


Combined works (covering both Mainline and Branchline)5
7.60
0.06
7.66
0.00
7.66


Total
26.44
3.94
30.38
2.75
33.13



  Note:

  1. Costs were included in figure reported in answer to question S3W-27501 on 25 September 2009.

  2. Costs were included in figures reported in answer to question S3W-31078 on 4 February 2010, S3W-33171 answered on 22 April 2010.

  3. Excludes VAT.

  4. Excludes Parliamentary Bill costs (£3 million).

  5. Costs which cannot readily be split between main line and branch line.

Housing

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether and, if so, when it plans to drop the interest rate of the Croft House Grant Scheme from 7% to £3.5%.

Roseanna Cunningham: Holders of loans from the Crofters’ Building Grants and Loans Scheme received a letter from the Minister for Environment on 4 December 2009 offering the opportunity to change to a variable rate of interest, set initially at 3.5%, and to collect information on how many loanholders might take up the offer.

  The Scottish Government is working towards providing the necessary legal documentation to enable those wishing to move to a variable rate to have this applied to their outstanding loans from 28 November 2010.

Local Government

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority will save in terms of efficiency savings in 2010-11.

John Swinney: Local authorities in Scotland have an efficiency target of £524.1 million in 2010-11. The level of efficiency achieved will not be available until autumn 2011, when the Efficiency Outturn Report for the year will be published.

MSPs

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is an offence in Scots law for a Member of the Scottish Parliament to purport to represent an area that is not within the boundaries of the constituency that he or she represents.

Bruce Crawford: No.

Mental Health

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when adult mental health will come under the current waiting time guarantee.

Nicola Sturgeon: Other than the already established referral to treatment target for access to specialist child and adolescent mental health, and our commitment to develop an access target for psychological therapies to be announced in 2011-12, there are no current plans to include other mental health services in current referral to treatment waiting time guarantees.

  The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill will include mental health services in its aims to establish a 12 week treatment time guarantee for patients receiving elective or planned treatment on an inpatient or day case basis.

  Where mental health services are delivered on this basis then the treatment time guarantee will apply. Expected completion of the Bill through Parliament is spring 2011.

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will follow the example of the UK Government in relation to the reduced use of government cars by ministers.

John Swinney: The UK Government is now moving into line with the Scottish Government. The Government Car Service in Scotland already deploys its drivers as a shared resource which allows ministerial journey requests to be covered in the most efficient way. Ministers use public transport when it is practical to do so.

Police

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Lothian and Borders Police.

Kenny MacAskill: I last met representatives of Lothian and Borders Police at Howdenhall police station on 1 June 2010, on the day I announced record numbers of police officers in Scotland, with numbers in Lothian and Borders exceeding 3,000 for the first time.

  I last met Chief Constable David Strang on 18 May 2010 as part of my regular one-to-one meetings with all chief constables.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the comment by the chief constable of Grampian Police reported in The Herald on 18 May 2010 that "We have a positive relationship with the Justice Secretary but we come out of a meeting with him and then the civil servants give us a completely contrary message" and what action it plans to take.

Kenny MacAskill: The remark attributed to the chief constable of Grampian refers to a dinner between myself and six out of the eight chief constables. I was supported by two civil servants on that occasion. The meeting provided an opportunity for chief constables to raise any issues they wished to discuss. There were not two separate meetings and it is entirely wrong to suggest that civil servants were acting outwith my authority.

  In a statement issued by the President of Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, Pat Shearer confirmed that I hosted the meeting and civil servants acted in their official capacity in my support. He also made clear that all parties are working together and share a common interest in providing the best policing service possible for the communities of Scotland.

Post Office

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when post offices will be able to access the £1 million Post Office Diversification Fund included in the 2010-11 budget.

Jim Mather: Discussions with key stakeholders have informed the development of a discussion paper on the format and operation of the fund. This will be issued very shortly and discussed with sub-postmasters at roadshow events. Responses will help finalise details of the fund. On current plans sub-postmasters will be able to apply for funding over the summer.

Referendum (Scotland) Bill

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a referendum Bill in 2010.

Bruce Crawford: Yes.

Referendum (Scotland) Bill

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it received to its consultation on the draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill.

Bruce Crawford: Two hundred and twenty-to written responses were received. This compares with similar technical consultations on elections related legislation; for example Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 where the consultation on the draft Bill received 187 responses, and the Scottish Local Government Elections Act 2009 where the consultation on the Bill proposals received 34 responses.

Referendum (Scotland) Bill

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the respondents to its consultation on the draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill.

Bruce Crawford: We look forward to publishing the responses to the consultation on the Scottish Government website in due course, where respondents have given us permission to do so.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the chief executive of Scottish Natural Heritage.

Roseanna Cunningham: There is regular contact between the Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage at all levels, and in relation to a wide range of matters concerning Scotland’s natural heritage. The chief executive most recently met Scottish Government officials on 26 May 2010.